AirTag batteries can break the product or seriously hurt your kids

What makes these batteries so lethal? The National Health Service reports that when Bitrex-coated batteries are swallowed by kids, the body releases fluids like mucus and saliva which creates a dangerous substance like caustic soda which can burn through tissue. And don’t assume that just because a battery is dead, it can be swallowed without harm; that is just not true.

Try to find out exactly what kind of battery your child swallowed but don’t allow that to delay your journey to the ER.

Some AirTags, as we pointed out, have just stopped working when a Bitrex-coated battery was used to power the device. That’s due to the Bitrex-coating blocking the AirTag’s battery contact from touching the metal of the button battery. To fix this issue, uses should take a small alcohol wipe and try to rub off a small amount of the Bitrex-coating off of the battery, say no more than a-quarter of the coating. A small cleaning swab will also do the job or even a pencil eraser.

Use an alcohol wipe to clean off a small portion of the button cell’s Bitrex coating

Just don’t use any material to clean the Bitrex-coating that you plan on putting in your mouth eventually. When a battery makes a proper connection with the battery connector of the AirTag, the device will emit a little tune to let you know that there is a proper connection. For other devices that face the similar issue, make sure that the battery contacts match up with the cleaned portion of the battery.

• Buy quality battery brands only since these are more likely to be manufactured using higher standards with safety features.
• Until needed, keep batteries in their original packaging and keep that packaging out of sight.
• When removing part of the bitter coating, remove just a small portion and remove it only when needed.
• Refit any screws or tabs or other safety features found on a device’s battery compartment.
• Dispose of used button cells safely.